In 1819, 28th January, Sir Stamford Raffles landed at the shores of Singapore.
There, the locals, Orang Lauts, told them that the Dutch was not in control of the island. Raffles was overjoyed. If Dutch did not have this valuable piece of land, then the Britsh shall take it to have an control advantage over the Dutch.
Sir Stamford Raffles
So he went to meet the leader of the island, Temenggong. Raffles told them they wanted to set up a trading settlement there. The Temenggong was willing to give permission, but he told them that the island was ruled by Sultan Abdul Rahman of the Johor-Riau Sultanate.
However, the Sultan was under Dutch control. The Dutch and British were fighting for control of the Malay Archepelago, so they would not allow the British to set up a settlement.
The Temenggong explained how Tengku Abdul Rahman had became the Sultan instead of his elder brother when the elder brother should had been due to traditional values. When their father died, only Tengku Abdul Rahman was present. Tenku Hussien was in Penang at that time. So, the Bugis chiefs in Riau made the younger son Tengku Abdul Rahman the new Sultan which was supported by the Dutch. Due to the support, Tengku Abdul Rahman was under Dutch control.
After Raffles heard about it, he, with the British, decided to recognise Tengku Hussien as the rightful Sultan.
Of course, with this agreement which seemed to be impossible to turn down, he granted permission for the British to use the Southern part of Singapore to build a settlement with an allowance of $5,000 per year for the Sultan and $3,000 per year for the Temenggong. Hence, a treaty was signed.
The signing of the treaty
Click here for a more thorough description of how Singapore was founded by Raffles.
Starting a settlement in Singapore.
In 1819, 28th January, Sir Stamford Raffles landed at the shores of Singapore.
There, the locals, Orang Lauts, told them that the Dutch was not in control of the island. Raffles was overjoyed. If Dutch did not have this valuable piece of land, then the Britsh shall take it to have an control advantage over the Dutch.
So he went to meet the leader of the island, Temenggong. Raffles told them they wanted to set up a trading settlement there.
The Temenggong was willing to give permission, but he told them that the island was ruled by Sultan Abdul Rahman of the Johor-Riau Sultanate.
However, the Sultan was under Dutch control. The Dutch and British were fighting for control of the Malay Archepelago, so they would not allow the British to set up a settlement.
The Temenggong explained how Tengku Abdul Rahman had became the Sultan instead of his elder brother when the elder brother should had been due to traditional values.
When their father died, only Tengku Abdul Rahman was present. Tenku Hussien was in Penang at that time.
So, the Bugis chiefs in Riau made the younger son Tengku Abdul Rahman the new Sultan which was supported by the Dutch.
Due to the support, Tengku Abdul Rahman was under Dutch control.
After Raffles heard about it, he, with the British, decided to recognise Tengku Hussien as the rightful Sultan.
Of course, with this agreement which seemed to be impossible to turn down, he granted permission for the British to use the Southern part of Singapore to build a settlement with an allowance of $5,000 per year for the Sultan and $3,000 per year for the Temenggong. Hence, a treaty was signed.